FREE SPEECH ALL BUT DEAD.

If free speech isn't dead in this country, then it's very nearly so.

Labour Member of Parliament, Roger Godsiff, has expressed agreement with those parents protesting outside a primary school in Birmingham over the issue of whether certain lessons are appropriate. If the protests had been aimed at the teaching of history, science or languages, there'd have been little publicity but the issue has involved the 'teaching' of matters relating to sexual orientation.

In the past, schools taught children academic, technical or vocational subjects but, in today's world of 'inclusiveness' and political correctness, such subjects are seen as being almost secondary to the teaching of social behaviour. The argument in Birmingham has been about the appropriateness of 'teaching' primary school children about homosexuality, lesbianism and other fringe issues of sexual behaviour. The protesters maintain that such 'teaching' is not a matter for schools but for parents and families, and Mr Godsiff has supported this viewpoint, a stand for which he has been roundly condemned; Labour's education spokesman, Angela Rayner, has reported him for making "discriminatory and irresponsible" comments and has demanded that he have the party's Whip withdrawn, effectively separating him from the Parliamentary party. Thus far, the party's Chief Whip, Nick Brown, has declined to take such action and has, instead, said that Mr Godsiff will be "reminded of his responsibilities as an MP". What ?

Surely the primary responsibility of any MP is to represent and support his constituents and not to blindly follow whatever is currently considered to be the politically correct path. In this case, Mr Godsiff is being pilloried for having a point of view which differs from that of some others; is having a different opinion no longer permitted ? Are we now in a world in which there is only one acceptable point of view on each subject ? We are surrounded by rules, regulations and laws that attempt to enforce the perceived wisdom of the moment in ways which are entirely restrictive of free speech and freedom of expression.

If some idiot wants to deny the existence of NAZI concentration camps and mass extinctions, why shouldn't they ? Surely historical facts, if properly taught, will overwhelm bigotry and stupidity. If, as I believe, schools should concentrate on teaching children to read, write and add up rather than indoctrinating them with left wing political ideology, am I not entitled to my opinion and should I not be allowed to express it ? If I'm wrong, those who disagree with me are at liberty to make their arguments and try to convince me otherwise.

Instances such as that of Mr Godsiff serve only to show how close we are to a complete denial of free speech in this country.